The present invention relates to mass flow measurement of fluids and has particular advantage in connection with measurement of jet aircraft fuels, rocket fuels and oxidizers, cryogens generally. The invention incorporates our discovery that intrinsic charge generation transfer phenomena of such fluids and also of fluid borne solid particles media (where the particles are essentially non-conductive) can be used effectively as a means of measuring velocity of the fluid and our further invention and discovery of method steps and apparatus for making such effective utilization.
The triboelectric effect is the mechanism which generates static electric charge when two materials rub against each other. A stored charge can be generated in particles and fluids by flow alone in a flowing stream and the charged stream can provide a readable current or voltage signal downstream.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide means for measuring velocity and mass flow of fluids as described above.
Further objects of the invention comprise the realization of reliable, accurate and calibratable measurements of such fluids utilizing the triboelectric effect.